Important step to filling out the thin blue line

"I've wanted to be a police officer since I was 7," the 24-year-old said. "I grew up here. I know what goes on. I think it's my time."

Michael Reese does. He's only 17 and attends Lincoln High School. But he feels the tug of law enforcement, pulling him into the profession.

"I've been thinking about it for a few years now. I want to put myself into position for that to happen," Reese said.

Rebecca Pearce and Gwen Johansen, classmates at Lincoln High more than a decade ago, are interested in learning more about police opportunities.

"I could see myself being a police officer. Definitely," Pearce said.

They joined about 125 other people for a police career workshop Wednesday. The attendees were crammed into city hall chambers, an overflow room outside the chambers and watching on closed-circuit television from the first floor of City Hall.

The event was, by all respects, an overwhelming success.

Nobody really knows if Stockton Police Department will get any hires out of those assembled for the workshop. But it's exactly the type of outreach that is needed for so many reasons.

It's probably easier to split an atom than it is to hire a police officer.

The hiring process is in-depth and demanding. The vetting of candidates is so necessarily strict that many are jettisoned short of the ultimate goal.

There also is the challenge of recruiting against other cities, counties or jurisdictions.

You just have to work harder. And that appears to be what's happening in Stockton.

The SPD force currently stands at 348 sworn police officers. There are 363 positions budgeted, including 17 officers funded through a federal grant and two state-funded officers.

Police Chief Eric Jones and his team of recruiters is closing in on the budgeted goal. But there could be many more officers hired.

If Measure A, a 3/4-cent sales tax, passes in Tuesday's election, it could help fund an additional 120 officers.

"We take any opportunity we can to recruit," Jones told the gathering. "We need to expand the pool of potential officers, and we want to look at hiring people from Stockton.

"Plus, there are so many other needs and careers available. We recruit support staff, evidence technicians and so many components of good law enforcement other than police officers."

Jones (21 years with the force) and Capt. Eric Coon (24 years) both grew up locally, live here, and recognize the need to find more Stockton residents interested in police careers.

"I'm home grown. I graduated from Edison High, and I've never wanted to work at another police force," said Coon, who guides the department's administrative services division.

Jones and Coon outlined the various paths to potential law-enforcement careers and gave detailed guidelines about the type of character and maturity needed to complete the process.

They joined about a dozen other SPD staff members of various levels to talk individually with those who sought more detailed information.

"This has been very helpful in giving me information I need to move forward," said Woods, who currently works at the Port of Stockton. "I've been wanting to make this type of move in my life.

"For me, a lot of it is seeing a need. I grew up here, and I see so much that can be done for citizens. There's no question law enforcement can be a good career for you individually, but it also can give you an opportunity to help your community."

That sort of comment is nothing short of music to the ears of Mayor Anthony Silva, who was pleased with the turnout. He asked Chief Jones some detailed questions during the presentation.

"We know we have a vast array of people here, from academy grads to those starting at ground zero in terms of the process of becoming an officer or civilian employee," Silva said. "We're creating a lot of positive momentum."

SPD expects to have more employment workshops in the future. For more information, visit stocktongov.com or joinspdnow.com.

Contact Record Editor Mike Klocke at (209) 546-8250 or mklocke@recordnet.com.

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